Month: February 2020

PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE (PVD)

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

Peripheral vascular disease, sometimes referred to as PVD, in the legs or lower extremities is the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the legs.

Dr. Polyxene G Kokinos, founder of San Jose’s South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute is a board certified general and vascular surgeon who specializes in treating patients who suffer from this condition. For 24 years, Dr. Kokinos has dedicated her practice to helping South Bay patients regain their circulatory health by bringing advanced surgical solutions to complex vascular problems. Having treated over 20,000 Varicose Vein patients, Dr. Kokinos understands both the aesthetic as well as the complex side of her field and is recognized one of the regions most respected surgeons.

Recent advances in both imaging and medical device technology has revolutionized the practice of Vascular Surgery. Of particular interest to Dr. Kokinos is treating vessels in the deep venous systems, as well as the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. Having performed hundreds of these procedures, Dr. Kokinos has found that many of her patients, being properly treated and educated are able to make great strides to regaining their health and quality of life.

Recently, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a patient educational bulletin that Dr. Kokinos shares with her patients as part of re-educating them to live a healthier life and to recognize the symptoms of Peripheral Vascular Disease. As part of her continuing efforts to educate her patients, she wanted to share this handout, written and published by the CDC for patients following her blog to read.

Please click on the link below to receive this CDC authored bulletin in the hopes that you too can begin to live a healthier life and become aware of the signs of peripheral vascular disease.

https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/pad.htm?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fdhdsp%2Fdata_statistics%2Ffact_sheets%2Ffs_pad.htm

If you or anyone you know suffers from peripheral vascular disease call today to schedule an appointment at 408-376-3626.

LEG SWELLING FOLLOWING COSMETIC VEIN OR BACK SURGERY

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

Every year thousands of patients in the US undergo cosmetic vein procedures in the hope of getting rid of their swollen legs and unsightly varicose veins. In like manner, many patients having back surgery also suffer from swollen legs following their surgery. Unfortunately, in a large percentage of these patients, a well known but often unrecognized and undiagnosed condition know as Iliac Vein Compression is the cause of this unexpected complication. Further complicating this issue is that even when the procedure is successful, patients complain of on-going leg swelling, heaviness, and pain in their legs.

Internet searches for, “Why do my legs continue to swell following my varicose vein or back surgery?” are everywhere on the internet and lead many patients to simplified, incomplete answers. Confused, patients return to their primary care or specialist seeking answers to their questions and are told that leg swelling is a known complication of this kind of procedure and that they must learn to live with this complication. Patients are left in a difficult position where they continue to suffer and have no answers for what to do next

Over the past 5 years, significant advances in medical imaging and device technology have given Vascular surgeons new ways to treat leg swelling. Today, with the help of this new technology, trained vascular surgeons are able to restore normal blood flow to the lower legs in a straightforward, outpatient procedure that has led to significantly better outcomes than ever before possible.

Dr. Kokinos, a board certified vascular and general surgeon, is a nationally recognized expert in treating a medical condition known as iliac-vein compression or May Thurner’s disease. In her nationally accredited ambulatory surgery center located in Campbell, CA. Dr Kokinos has performed over 250 IVUS procedures (a specialized intravascular ultrasound scan) to evaluate for and to treat this disease. Dr. Kokinos is a highly sought after expert in this area of vascular surgery and has has presented her findings at pre-eminent vascular surgery conferences in Miami, Fl. OEIS, San Francisco Vascular Surgery meetings and in Cypress, Greece where she has spoken to global audiences about her work in the care and treatment of patients suffering from swollen legs.

If you or anyone you know suffers from swollen legs, especially left leg swelling, have been diagnosed with a DVT (blood clot), or experiences leg swelling, excessive pain following a cosmetic vein procedure (EVLT, Laser Sclerotheraphy etc.) or back surgery ask your physician to speak with you about May-Thurner’s disease and Iliac Vein Compression.

At South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute we can help fix your swollen, achy legs and can help you “Get Back Your Life”.

If you or anyone you know suffers from a swollen leg following a cosmetic vein or back surgery, give us a call at 408-376-3626 to schedule an appointment.

DO YOU SUFFER FROM SWOLLEN LEGS? WE CAN HELP!

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

Do you Suffer From Iliac Vein Compression?

To answer that question, take a few seconds to consider the following:

▪ Are your legs swollen? Is your left leg larger than your right?
▪ Is it harder to slip one shoe on in the morning than the other?
▪ Have you had cosmetic or other surgical procedure done and not gotten the outcome you wanted?
▪ Are you a cancer patient undergoing treatment or procedures?
▪ Have you ever suffered from a blood clot or (DVT) in your leg
▪ Do you visit a wound care clinic with little to no success?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you MAY be suffering from a well known, but previously difficult to diagnose problem called May-Thurner’s Syndrome.

May Thurner’s Syndrome, also known as iliac Vein Compression, is a condition where the main artery supplying blood to the leg pushes down or compresses the main vein taking blood back to your heart. Previously undiagnosed, major advances in medical imaging technology have given vascular surgeons the tools needed to demonstrate that May Thurner’s syndrome is directly responsible for the slowing of blood going back to ones heart resulting in the swelling and or edema of the leg. These same studies have shown that in a full 30% of all people, the left iliac vein can be significantly compressed by the right iliac artery resulting in some kind of leg symptom….aching, heaviness, and most commonly, swelling or non-healing of wounds in the leg veins.

The Physicians and Surgeons at South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute specialize in treating Iliac Vein Compression. To diagnose and to treat this condition and the potentially deadly side effects caused by it (Blood Clots or Deep Venous Thrombosis) Dr. Kokinos has assembled a highly skilled team of vascular ultrasonographer’s who have developed a specialized screening protocol to evaluate for Iliac Vein Compression. Using state of the art ultrasonic imaging technology Registered Vascular Ultrasonographer’s use this new protocol and ultrasonic sound waves to scan up into the abdomen of their patients to examine the physics of the blood flow in this area. If a patient is found to have iliac vein compression, and is symptomatic for this condition, we then recommend IVUS–intravascular ultrasound and iliac vein stenting to re-establish blood flow in this area by opening up the compressed blood vessel in this area.

South Bay Vascular Center is a specialized vascular surgical facility dedicated entirely to treating vascular related illnesses. Unlike in a traditional hospital operating room, South Bay Vascular’s nationally accredited ambulatory surgery center is designed specifically to treat this kind of circulatory disease. Using advanced imaging equipment and device technology designed specifically for vascular related illnesses Dr. Kokinos is able to treat IVC disease in her outpatient surgery center setting in Campbell, CA. Treating her patients in this kinder and gentler environment Dr. Kokinos simplifies what has traditionally been the difficult, unfriendly and often times complicated admissions process of a traditional hospital. To date, Dr. Kokinos has successfully performed over 200 of these iliac vein stent procedures in her out-patient angiography suite and has lectured extensively at major vascular surgery meetings on her approach and success helping patients reduce leg swelling, increase the rate of wound healing and return to a normal way of living.

If you are currently experiencing a swollen leg, have a non healing leg, foot,or ankle wounds or have ever suffered a blood clot (DVT) please contact our office at 408-376-3626 to schedule an appointment.

Don’t suffer from swollen legs or non-healing leg ulcers any longer.

We can help!

408-376-3626

WWW.SOUTHBAYVASCULAR.COM

LOS GATOS VARICOSE VEIN DOCTOR

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute is proud to celebrate our 25th year serving the Greater San Jose Bay Area. Our commitment to serving our patients as an independent medical clinic means that our patients are never “just” another number in a Big Box Medical system.

Unlike other physicians who have spent their entire careers as part of large regional health care systems, Dr Kokinos has dedicated her entire career to serving the South Bay Community as an independent physician. She takes the time to understand your symptoms so that she can provide her patients with the best possible solutions to help them get their legs and their life’s back. At South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute, we find the “Why”so that you have real solutions to living a healthy life.

Our philosophy is “One Patient, One Doctor, One Nurse”…not how many patients can we see to meet Big Box Medicine’s patient quotas.

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute brings 25 years and 20,000 varicose vein procedures to you as our patients. As Los Gatos’ most experienced vein treatment center, we Invite you to

Love Your Legs Again

If you suffer from painful and unsightly varicose veins WE CAN HELP! Silicon Valley’s most trusted varicose vein clinic and treatment center.

CALL US AT 408-376-3626 TO LEARN HOW WE CAN HELP YOU GET BACK YOUR LIFE.

“We Offer Hope When Others Say There Is None”

WOUND CARE EXPERTS IN SAN JOSE; NON-HEALING LEG OR ANKLE WOUNDS

Posted on by Angelica Rodezno

Leg and foot wounds have become a huge problem in the United States. Fortunately, there are thousands of Wound Care Centers to help with the day to day care of these painful and potentially dangerous wounds. Wound care centers are usually affiliated with hospitals and function as one of many resources that a patients with wounds has at their disposal in an effort to keep their wounds from progressing to where amputation may be the only choice left to salvage the limb. Unfortunately, in many of these wound care centers an underlying cause for why many of these non-healing wounds don’t heal in a timely manner is often overlooked: circulation to the leg or foot. This can be either on the arterial side (Delivering oxygen and nutrients necessary to heal the affected area) or on the venous sid​e, (Removing toxins and fluid from the affected area).

Research has shown that about 70% of people who seek care at Wound Care Centers have an underlying circulation issue. Unfortunately, the current practice in most wound care centers is that this circulatory problem is not diagnosed or considered until after months of futile debridement and dressing changes have failed to achieve long term healing. In an effort to best treat non-healing leg wounds it is critical, therefore, for patients to have their circulation evaluated by a Vascular Surgeon.

This is even more important in patients over the age of 50, if there has EVER been a history of smoking, diabetes, or hypertension.

Finally, this evaluation must be done at the very start of a wound care patients treatment and not be put off until after debridement and other topical approaches have failed. If you or a loved one is currently being seen at a wound care center for non-healing leg wound it is vital that you insist upon getting a vascular ultrasound study if it has not already been done.

Testing for circulation is a non-invasive process and can be done, in most cases, in under an hour. Testing is pain free and does not involve the use of any drugs and or anesthesia. Using simple sound waves a Registered Vascular Ultrasonographer can easily scan for circulatory deficiencies and provide your physician with the critical information they need to develop a plan for how to best approach healing your wounds.

Non-healing leg wounds and ulcers fall into several different categories:

Diabetic Wounds: If you have diabetes, you may be prone to foot ulcers since you may not have protective sensation on your feet. Causes of foot ulcers include excessive pressure or rubbing against the skin that may result from wearing ill-fitting shoes or walking barefoot.

Arterial Wounds: Complete or partial arterial blockage can lead to ulcers. If you have arterial disease, you may have tests to measure blood flow or to locate a blockage in your arteries.

Venous Wounds: These ulcers are usually a symptom of venous disease, where the veins in your legs are compromised, causing blood to build up. Typical venous ulcers appear near the ankle and are often painful.

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute, with offices in both Campbell and Gilroy, CA. specializes in the treatment of Non-healing leg and foot wounds. Led by Dr. Polyxene Kokinos, MD. RPVI. South Bay Vascular Center Physicians are world class experts in revascularization techniques that can help re-establish blood flow to areas suffering from circulatory illness. Recognized as an expert in her field, Dr. Kokinos teaches advanced revascularization techniques to local vascular surgeons looking to offer similar care to their patients. If you or anyone you know suffers from non-healing leg or foot wounds, call today at 408-376-3626 to schedule your appointment.

WE OFFER HOPE WHEN OTHERS SAY THERE IS NONE!